The Cultural Addition
a
Star Trek: Enterprise - based fan fiction
by: Joycelyn Solo

Summary: An unexpected pregnancy has some interesting consequences for Trip, T'Pol, the Enterprise and the future of Humanity.
Author's note: This story takes place Season Three, so expect general episodic references, but with definite AU qualities.
Disclaimer: Star Trek: Enterprise and associated characters are property of Paramount Pictures. I mean no copyright infringement, this story is for entertainment purposes only.
Special Thanks: To Stub the Beta Wonder!
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Trip/T'Pol Romance; Mystery

Chapter Twenty - Pre-wedding jitters

I'm getting married tomorrow.

Seated at his desk, going over data collected during the last warp coil test, Trip still found it hard to believe that, in only a matter of hours, T'Pol would be his wife.

Granted, according to her, they were already wed, it wouldn't seem real to Trip until the captain made it official and T'Pol was wearing his ring on her finger.

Setting the data aside, Trip looked at the two small bands sitting on his desk. Malcolm had helped him find scrap to melt down and form into matching rings that would physically symbolize the bond between Trip and T'Pol. With all the damage Enterprise had sustained in the Expanse, it had been easy enough to find spare elements.

With the rings he forged, Trip and T'Pol would literally have a piece of Enterprise with them long after they resigned their commissions to the ship.

And, though it pained him, Trip had every intention of making this mission his last. As soon as they found the Xindi and averted their attack -- of which he couldn't help but be confident -- he planned to request a planetside posting so that he could be with his family.

Picking up the smaller of the two rings, Trip rolled it between his fingers and allowed his mind to wander. There were so many things he looked forward to experiencing with T'Pol and their children. He'd take them camping at Yosemite. They'd spend holidays with the Tucker clan in Florida. He'd teach the kids how to fly, maybe even show them how to build their own engine. He could imagine T'Pol seated on the front porch -- they'd have a front porch -- and watching as Trip and the twins played baseball in the front yard. After sending the kids to bed, Trip would lead T'Pol to their room where--

Okay, Trip, he admonished. Time to calm down.

Though T'Pol was progressing by leaps and bounds in the physical displays of affection, they hadn't really talked about that aspect of marital life. Trip had no doubt making love to his Vulcan bride would be spectacular, but he didn't want to rush T'Pol into anything she wasn't ready for.

As soon as she was ready, however, Trip had no problem imagining the different scenarios married life to T'Pol could bring...and each of them would no doubt bring a green flush to the science officer's cheeks if she happened to be reading his thoughts at the time.

Setting T'Pol's ring back down next to his, Trip picked up the warp data and attempted once again to get his mind off the physical and back to physics. After only a few minutes of reading the PADD, unfortunately, Trip's mind began to wander once again to the Vulcan residing next door.

He briefly toyed with the idea of walking over and seeing if T'Pol was up for another kissing lesson. Aware that she was probably meditating, he didn't want to risk intruding on her thoughts or interrupt her. In fact, if T'Pol was meditating, he should probably try a little harder to make sure his own thoughts weren't straying out of his head. His Vulcan had a difficult enough time concentrating with the twins' causing a distraction that he didn't need to complicate things even more for her.

Taking a deep breath, Trip attempted to clear his mind and focused his attention once again on the warp data.

Trip got through a full page before the door announcer chimed.

Probably Malcolm or the Cap'n wanting to wish me luck. "Come in."

Half-expecting to see one of his male friends with a bottle of alcohol in hand, Trip was more than a little surprised when a robe-clad T'Pol entered his quarters.

His mind already half in the gutter, Trip found it hard not to think about how a robe-clad T'Pol had been at the beginning of most of his fantasies. Clearing his throat and keeping his attention away from the considerable amount of leg T'Pol's clothing revealed, Trip said, "I thought Hoshi told you it was bad luck for the groom to see the bride the night before the wedding?"

"Since you are already my husband, I doubt that rule applies." It could have been his hormone-addled brain, but Trip could have sworn T'Pol's voice sounded lower than usual -- husky, even. Clutching the PADD tightly in his hand, he forced his eyes down to the numbers that, at the moment, made very little sense to him.

"What are you working on, Commander?" T'Pol asked, her breath caressing his ear. In his effort to concentrate on the PADD, he hadn't noticed T'Pol moving to stand behind him at the desk.

He swallowed, audibly. "I'm just reviewing some warp data..." He trailed off, turning to see the look in T'Pol's eyes. "T'Pol? Are you alright?"

In answer, T'Pol bent her head close to his and examined the data in his hand. "I see your coil modifications had the desired increase on warp efficiency."

"What?" Trip asked, his eyes mesmerized by the expanse of smooth flesh the opening of T'Pol's robe afforded him as she leaned forward.

"The warp coil modifications," T'Pol reminded him. "You had discussed them yesterday during lunch."

"Right. Warp efficiency." Trip pulled his eyes away from ogling the sub-commander's cleavage to the PADD. "These numbers are pretty good, but I actually had another idea...Uh, T'Pol...what are you doing?" His voice trailed off as he felt the light pressure of T'Pol's tongue tracing the outside of his ear.

"Does this not please you?" she asked, moving from his ear to trace his jawline with her lips.

"I...I'm...well, I find it very pleasing but I'm not sure...what are you...oh, that's nice." He sighed as she focused her attention back on his ear, sucking gently on the lobe.

"You are familiar with the Vulcan sex drive?" T'Pol asked, the soft sound of her voice wreaking as much havoc on his senses as her tongue had done moments before.

"Yeah," Trip answered, nearly breathless in the surge of feeling coursing through his body. "They mate every seven years or die."

T'Pol pulled his chair away from the desk, turning it so that he faced her. "That is mostly correct. In theory, an unbonded female can live her entire life without mating. It is the trigger of the male's pon farr every seven years that creates her need for copulation."

Trip looked at her, seeing the smoldering fire of lust in her eyes. The thoughts he'd entertained earlier...Was she saying that her sex drive had been triggered? "But...but I'm not Vulcan."

T'Pol ran her hands along his chest before finally clasping the zipper of his uniform and tugging it down to expose the black shirt he wore underneath. "We are still bonded. Your arousal is enough to stimulate my own."

"So if we don't...y'know...you'll die?" he asked, concern for her well-being shaking some of the lust from his mind.

"I doubt it. But neither of us is likely to get much rest tonight, either." She stood, stepping back as she moved her hands to the sash of her robe. "Do you object, Commander?"

"If you'd stop calling me 'Commander' it might help." He grinned, an amazing feat considering the tumult of thoughts and emotions coursing through him. On one hand, a beautiful woman was standing before him with every intention of seducing him -- practically living out one of his earlier fantasies. It was that very fact which gave him pause.

"Is it just because of the bond that you're here, T'Pol? If I wasn't sending out horny signals would you still want to do this?"

Her answer was to untie her robe and let it pool to the floor.

Trip's mouth opened and closed wordlessly, his brain trying in vain to send signals to it.

"I do not believe I've ever seen you speechless, Commander."

"Well...uh...I don't believe I've ever seen you naked, Sub-Commander." Since this was his first opportunity to truly study "alien anatomy," he allowed his gaze to move slowly from her chin -- which was where he'd focused in preservation of modesty -- and down the length of her body, taking in the swell of her stomach where their children resided. When he reached her toes, he quickly brought his eyes back up and glued them to her face. "And...now I have."

"Are you not going to return the courtesy?"

"What?" he asked, unable to think as he couldn't decide which part of his anatomy was control.

"The polite thing would be for you to remove your clothing, Commander, and return the gesture."

"You're serious?"

"I am."

He still wasn't sure if he was ready for this. Sure, they were getting married in a matter of hours...but he'd had every intention of taking things slowly and allowing T'Pol to get used to his physical presence before actually getting physical.

Trip was halfway through his thought when T'Pol, in single-minded Vulcan fashion, made the decision for him. Before he knew it, he had been pulled from his chair and pushed onto the bunk.